Fire escape



Y Sept. 14, 11928'.y

w. KAUTZ ms ESCAPE Filed Nov. v29, i926 Patented Sept. 4, 19h28.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM KUTZ, OF WILLARD, OHIO.

FIRE ESCAPE.

Application led November 29, 1926. Serial No. 151,480.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lire escapes ofthe collapsible chain type, and has for its primary object to providesuch a device that may be readily wrapped or wound within a cabinetpreferably of the type shown and described in my copending applicationSerial No. 151,47 9 filed on even date herewith so that the saine willbe out lof the way when not in use.

A fuithei and important object is to provide a fire escape of thischaracter that may be readily dropped from one of the upper stories ofthe building and rigidly secured to the sill of a window so that personsmay Adescend from the building without great liability of the ladderbecoming disconnected from said sill.

A still further object is to provide a ladder of this character that isrelatively simple of construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and onethat is highly well adapted for all 'z the purposes intended.

With the foregoing and other objects which will become apparent as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same comprising thenovel form, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate correspondingparts throughout the several views.:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front side elevation of a building vupon whichis disposed a fire escape constructedv in accordance with the presentinvention. Y

Figure 2 is a detail vertical section thereof for disclosing the fireescape in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the window sill engaging unit for thepurpose of securing the escape to the building.

Figure 4l is an enlarged perspective of one of the side arms of saidunit.

Figure 5 is a perspective of one of the plate links that facilitate theinterconnection of certain chain sections as well as the pivotalconnection of the ladder steps thereto.

Figure 6 is a perspective of one of said ladder steps, and

Figure 7 is a perspective of a cross bar at the lower end of the fireescape to facilitate the anchoring of said end to the building.

Now having particular reference to the drawings wherein there isdisclosed the most practical embodiment of the invention with which l amat this time familiar, the device consists of a pair of inner, and apair of outer chains designated respectively 5 5 and 6 6. The outerchains 6 6 are of a single length,

Lwhile the inner chains 5 5 are composed of chain lengths interconnectedby plate links 7 that have openings in the opposite ends as clearlyindicated in Figure 5 so that the ends of the chain sections may besecured thereto. These link plates 7 are each further formed centrallywith an opening 8, the openings of transversely aligned plates receivingthe laterally bent and threaded ends 9 9 of U-bar steps or rungs 10.Said ends being secured in the opening bynuts as clearly indicated inFigures 1 and 2. The central bar memberof each step or rung 10 isprovided at its inner side and in spaced relation to its opposite endswith loops 11 with which engage the outer chain lengths, whereby inwardsliding movement 4of said chain lengths is prevented. The lower ends ofthe chains 5 5 and 6 6 are connected to the opposite ends-of a cross bar12 that is formed centrally and at its upper edge with a V-no-tch 13,for a purpose hereinafter more fully described.

' Permanently secured to the upper ends of the `inner chains 5 5 is awindow sill attaching unit designated generally bv the referencecharacter lll. This unit consists of. a pair of side arms 15 15 of flatmetal formation, the inner ends of which are hooked as at 16- forengagement beneath the inner' sill beard of the window B at theuppermost floor of the building A. These hooked ends 16 of the arms 1515 of said unit 14 are interconnecterl by a cross bar 17 while the armsare further interconnected at their centers and at their outer ends byother bars 1S and 19. The outer ends of said arms 1 5 15 are formed.with dependingplates 20. see Figure 2, the lower edges of which willrest upon the outer edge of the sill of said window B as clearlyindicated in Figure 2. From these plates are outwardly projectingdepending tongues 21, while disposed upon the inner sides of thetonguesy and plates are similarly shaped reinforcing plates 22, thetongue portions thereof as wellL as the tongues of the armsbeing'provided with registering openings so as to facilitate theattachiment of the upper ends of the innermost chain 5 5 thereto.

Connected to the center bar 18 of the unit Vso lon

lll?

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` ing movement. V'Vhen it is desired to removev neath the center4 oftheWindow to which the upper end of the lire escape is to be attached isYan outwardly extending flat-like .hariQ-tothe outer end of which ispivoted a lever 26. Qbviously. after the reescape has been dro p'ed fromthe windowfit will benece'ssary ora person standing upon the ground topass the connecting bar 1 2 for the lower ends of the inner andouterchains 5&5 and ti-f beneath the lever 26 after which al downwardswinging of the same will force said rbar inwardly beneath the bar 25for securing the fire escape against swingthe device from the buildingit is only necessary that the lower end thereof be disconnected from thebar25 after which the unit 14 at the upper end 'of ltheldevice may bearranged upon the vsupport or the stand shown and described inmycopending application. `The outer chains 6-6 are then detached from thechainsections 23-23 after which the steps or rungs l() will swing downywardl upon the link plates 7 so as to permit ety the winding of thedevice within the stand.

The bar 25 isa fixed bar, and the lever 26 is'designed to normallydepend from the outer end of the bar 25. The upward pull on the bar 12is against the under `side of the bar 25, and consequently when thelever 26 ris made sufficiently heavy, saidflever 2G may be depended uponto prevent casual disengagement or release of the bar l2 from the bar25. f t

Itl will thus be seen that I have provided a highly novel, simcple, andVefficient fire escape thatis well a apted for'all the pur-- posesheretofore designated, even though I haveherein shown and describedtheinvention as consisting of certain detail structural elements, it isVnevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made thereinwithout affecting the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by'Letters Patent is 4 1.1In a re escape of the class descrabed,

a plurality of chain, lengths adapted for vertical disposition on theoutside of a building, ladder steps arranged at predetermined spacedture. Initervals Y,throughout the chain i u lengths, a windowlsillattaching unit vat the.,

upper ends of the chain lengths, a cross bar i' secured at its ends tothe lower ends ofthe chain lengths, and means `upon the outside of the;building adjacent the foundation thereoffor `engagement with the crossbar fervlpeking the fire escape against swinging Y movement, said meanscomprising a fixed member extending laterally from the buildi ing, and avertically swinging normally pendent lever pivotedat its upper endQonthe outer end of said member, said lever when pendent preventing thedisengagement,

of the cross bar `from beneath thelaterally extending member. i i

2. In alfire escape of the `class described,

a pair n of inner and outerkspaced'fchain lengths adapted for'disposition ontheA out-V side of a building, the inner chain lengthscomprising a series of chains, linkV plates interconnecting the seriesof chains in the Vimiermost chain lengths, a series of substan tiallyU-.shaped step members arranged in vertical spaced `relation and havinglateral lso terminalathe crownportion fof each Us shaped step beingconnected with the outer' chain lengths, the said lateral terminals ofthe arms `of each U-shaped step being dis-V posed through and `journaledand secured in theintermediate portion of each pair of link plates, awindow sill. engaging unit, the;

inner chain lengths being secured at their? upper ends to said unit, and`detachable con.A nections between the outer chain lengths at Y theirupper ends andthe window sill attaching unit, whereby the outer. chainlengt-hs `maybe moved inwardly with respect tothe inner chain lengths tofacilitatethe rolling` ofthe ladder when th'eaforementioned Veennectionsare disengaged. Y

3. In a firees'cape of the class described, a pair of inner iand outerspacedmhain lengths adapted for dispositionon the out! side/of thebuilding, the inner ychain lengths Vas comprising aseries of connectinglinks, aV V series of substantially Ushaperl step. members arranged -invertical'spaced relation' and having arms pivotally connected with theinner chain lengths,l the crown Vportion Vof each U-shapedstep memberbeing connected with the outer chain lengths, window sill engaging meansconnected totheupperends` n of the inner chain lengths,andfdetachableconnections between `the outer chain lengths at their upper liends, andVsaid window sill engaging` meansv wherebyuthe outer `chain lengt to the`inner chain lengths `to: acilitate Trolling of the ladder orrsfireescape when the beforementi'oned eonnections are disengaged.

is may bemoved inwardl with respect`=

